How to cover tattoos: fast, waterproof and rub proof (With Video Tutorial)

Airbrush makeup allows for the fastest, most durable and most undetectable tattoo coverage. In the video tutorial below you can see the process carried out mostly in real time. In this post I would like to go a little deeper into the details, but first an important disclaimer: while airbrushing as a technique is much easier than commonly perceived, I would definitely not improvise on others before extensive practice. Attend a class if you can, and if you can't be sure to check these pages for more information that may be useful in selecting the equipment and products that are best for you. 

PRODUCT SELECTION

Airbrushing offers incredible coverage that will be practically imperceptible, thanks to the process of nebulization of the foundation. There are many brands that produce makeup that is specifically designed to be used with an airbrush, and that will dry fast and be more durable than traditional brands. My first advice is therefore to use a made for airbrush product rather than try to dilute and spray your normal foundation. Airbrushing traditional products will still save you application time, but traditional formulas will not gain more durability simply by being sprayed. While silicone based makeup will retain its water proof finish, there are specific products created by airbrush brands specifically to cover tattoo, and these are the ones that will allow for the best results. Among these, two are definitely worth mentioning: Tattoo Cover by Dinair and the Dura line by Temptu.

Tattoo Cover (formerly known as Colair Extreme) is a water based formula that becomes totally water and rub proof once applied. It is truly an extraordinary product that can also serve as blocking concealer on the most severe skin irregularities, as well as latex safe skin color for SFX prosthetic applications. The product is available in a range of shades matching almost every color in Dinair's beauty lines (Glamour, Radiance, Soft Glow and Neutralizer).

The Dura line by Temptu is an alcohol based foundation that is available in the 12 shades of the classic S/B line by the same brand. Adjuster colors for color correction are also available, but almost never necessary in that the product offers enough coverage even for the darkest tattoos.

Other products that can be used successfully for tattoo camouflaging are the Endura line by European Body Art, the Hydro Proof line by Kett and the Nebula line by Kryolan. Non-monetized links to all these brands are available in our LINKS page.

HOW TO COVER TATTOOS: A STEP BY STEP GUIDE

The process of covering up a tattoo is pretty much the same for all the products listed above, regardless of their specific formulation. Each step will have a slightly different duration depending on the product you chose to use.

STEP 1: Shaving the area

Shaving the area you are going to cover is always necessary, even when there are no hairs visible to the naked eye. Even the tiniest, thinnest hairs will create texture unless we shave the skin first. 

STEP 2: Cleansing the skin.

A couple of minutes after shaving the area you can move on to cleansing with IPA. This will eliminate any oily residue and the skin will be ready for the application. 

STEP 3: Light layers

Now you can move on to layering the color in light passes. Color matching before starting is crucial in order to find the shade (or shade mix) that will be right for the skin tone. Don't be tempted to cover the whole tattoo immediately, as this will lead to hot spots and visible product accumulation. Proceed in light passes and keep the airbrush at the right distance. You will see the tattoo fade more and more with each pass, and by working this way you will allow each layer to dry before moving to the next one. As colors oxidize once applied and usually darken, this will give you a better sense of the final result. As I was saying, color correcting is almost always redundant with the products I have listed above. 

STEP 4: Setting Powder

Once you have layered enough passes you can move on to setting the area with HD powder or any fine powder. This will eliminate any residual wetness or stickiness. I advise using a flesh tone powder rather than a white or clear one, as these will leave behind a whitish cast. You can apply the powder by brush and later remove any excess with a setting spray or even water.  

STEP 5:Spattering (Optional)

Even if the airbrushed coverage doesn't add texture to the skin, its blocking power could create a very uniform effect that might look a little artificial also depending on the color scheme of the skin we are covering. In order to break up this seamlessness a to achieve a more natural result, we can break up the tonality by spattering darker foundation shades (or even blush shades if alcohol based). In order to spatter with your airbrush you simply have to remove the needle and nozzle cap and lower the air pressure to the minimum, then flick the airbrush lever. Of course you will have to be extra careful not to touch the skin with the exposed needle.

CLEANING YOUR TOOLS AND REMOVING THE MAKEUP

 When working with alcohol based products or with Dinair's Tatoo Cover it is crucial that you clean the airbrush immediately after the application. Failure to do so will lead to a very long, in-depth cleaning of all the pieces later on, because these colors create a sort of stubborn film in the deepest recesses of the airbrush. Removing the makeup from the skin on the other hand is quite simple if you use IPA or lacking that a very oily makeup remover.

"BEAUTY" CAMOUFLAGE OR SPECIAL EFFECTS?

For best results it is important to keep in mind that covering tattoos for "beauty" purposes is rather a camouflage work, where the primary goal is to prevent the eyes from focusing on what would otherwise be an obvious feature. If your goal is an absolutely perfect coverage that may recreate the exact color scheme of the rest of the skin unto the smallest details, you most likely will not use the technique described above, but rather a a multiple layer spattering of sheer alcohol base colors. This spattering technique is used in Special Effects, and it is not the object of this tutorial.

Tim Burton inspired Vampire Makeup with Nebula and Kryolan professional products

Airbrush Makeup with Nebula by Kryolan

Kryolan is one of the most famous brands of professional and theatrical makeup in the world. As Halloween approaches we were super excited to have another opportunity to try products from their catalogue to realize the Tim Burton inspired look you see in these photos and in the Video. My long time collaborator Angela had this long held dream or a vampire look that would include prosthetic cheek alterations in reminescent of Maleficent. The challenge was not an easy one, and now we're going to describe how we did it in a step by step tutorial, starting with the airbrushed beauty makeup and then revealing the process behind the proshtetics.

Step by step guide to our Vampire look:
The beauty makeup application can be recreated regardless of the prostethics. If you are curious about the prosthetic process you can find the relevant description at the end of this post.
Skin Prep: apply a light layer of Kryolan HD Micro Primer on the face, and then Kryolan Eye Shadow Primer on the eye area. Allow a couple of minutes so that these products can be absorbed. 

Foundation: mix 10 drops approx of Nebula Complexion Fir (the lightest shade in the Nebula foundation range) with as many drops of True White from the Nebula Vivid color group. You can mix the colors directly in the cup of your airbrush. Be sure to regulate the pressure of your compressor on the lowest usable setting, layering light passes until the desired consistency is achieved. For contouring you can use a mix with a darker foundation shade or a light gray achieved by mixing True White and True Black from the Nebula Vivid Range. As our prosthetic already cast a sufficient shadow we decided to enhance only the highlights by dabbing on a few drops of Liquid Brightness in Silver. As the Nebula base is totally waterproof we could apply this highlight without fear of compromising the foundation. 

Airbrushed with Nebula by Kryolan

Eyes: layering the red and black eyeshadow was super easy. Remember to keep the pressure as low as possible. Mix five drops of Nebula Iridescent in Luxurious Red and tre drops of Nebula Vivid in Fiery Red to obtain this beautiful red hue. After the main eyeshadow is applied blend Nebula Vivid in True Black on the mobile lid. This will enhance the contrast with the amazing Kryolan Contact Lenses n. 811. These lenses are perfect for a vampire look, and Kryolan's reputation guarantees their quality against cheaper but less safe alternatives available on line.
Lips: our Kryolan 18 Color Lip Palette already contained LC404, which the perfect shade of lipstick for this look. Angela added depth to the lips design by adding two different types of artificial blood by Kryoan, Transparent Blood and HD Blood.

A question of cheekbones...
The cheekbones are one of the most difficult features to alter with a partial prosthetic. The edges of the application are especially difficult to hide in such a mobile and exposed area of the face. We proceeded as follows.

Prosthetic Preparation:
Luckily Angela had a full cast of her head that I could use to sculpt the new cheekbones with sulfur free Chavant clay of medium consistency. I heated up the clay in the microwave for a few seconds to render it more pliable before sculpting the application on the cast. Once done I carefully detached the clay and I laid it on a tablet where I reconstructed the edges and blended them further. I used some tongue depressors to build sides to the tablet and sprayed the positives with Kryolan Mold Release Spray, then I poured silicone molding material and waited for it to set. Once the silicone mold was ready i washed and dried it to get rid of any residue, then sprayed it again with Mold Release, and once this was dry I spread a thin layer of Glatzan. This bald cap plastic material is Kryolan's own alternative to Baldiez, and it is useful for encapsulating the prosthetic creating a thinner edge that will be easier to melt on the face using acetone.

Airbrushed Makeup with Nebula by Kryolan

Foam Gel: in order to create our prosthetic applications we used Kryolan Gel Foam, a foam gelatin that comes in blocks that are ready to be cut up and melted. I but half a block in a small see through plastic bowl, then I heated it up in 15 seconds increments in the microwave oven. It is crucial to do this carefully and to stop after each increment to check the status of the gelatin. As soon as it starts to raise you have to remove it from the oven and pour it in the mold, using a spatula to level it and remove the excess. The melting and cooling process is very fast, so you will have to work quickly, and you'll have to make sure that the gelatin doesn't reach boiling point or it will be unusable. After pouring it will take 45 minutes or less for it to be completely cured. Once dry I applied another thin layer of Glatzan (see above) and then waited for another hour for this to be ready. A light dusting with clear powder will help to keep the edges from folding over themselves and sticking together.

Prosthetic Application: first of all I applied Pro Shield Foam primer to Angela's face in order to protect her skin from all that was to follow. Then I spread a thin layer of Kryolan Special Adhesive B (equivalent to the famous Pros Aide glue) on the area of the face that was going to be covered, and I applied a thin layer on the back of the prosthetics as well. I waited until the glue became clear and then I applied the cheekbones. After the application I melted the edges away using a q tips and acetone, which worked well on Glatzan. In some spots a little more Special Adhesive B was necessary to further fill remaining discrepancies. After a light dusting with clear powder I proceeded to airbrushing the base coat of the makeup.

How to achieve an INDESTRUCTIBLE bridal makeup with Nebula by Kryolan- With kit review and video tutorial

Bridal makeup is the daily bread of most makeup artists. Brides to be of any ethnicity and tradition tend to agree on three key factors when discussing their makeup: durability, coverage and perfect finish. Airbrush makeup is the perfect answer to these expectations, and it adds speed, hygene and high HD performance to boot. The new Nebula line by Kryolan features a wide range of colors designed to perform well for any makeup goal, from invisible coverage to body painting, however because of their finish and their resistance we found it ideal for bridal makeup, and we produced the enclosed video tutorial to demonstrate just that.

Airbrush Makeup with Nebula by Kryolan

The Nebula formula is silicone based, which makes the product comfortable, allows great coverage and makes it water proof. Unlike many airbrushable silicone based products however, Nebula has a very low viscosity and a very short drying time which is comparable to that of water based products. The final finish is also very light, luminous but not shiny and very effective in its coverage. In other words, it is exactly what brides are looking for. 

We already discussed our first impression of this product last week. After experimenting some more with these colors I can confirm that they do have a learning curve, and that the results you get will improve more and more as you practice applying them. Of course they were conceived for airbrush application, and I hope that this will inspire more and more artists to learn this incredible technique, forgetting all the fears and false myth that still surround it, and that were spread mostly by those who don't really know how to use it. For those of you who are in fact considering adding this skill to their abilities, I will now review Kryolan's own airbrush kit. Please keep in mind however that Nebula will work on any professional airbrush kit regardless of the brand.

The Kryolan Airbrush Kit

Bridal look with Nebula by Kryolan

Kryolan chose a great maker for the kits it distributes. These are made in fact by the Taiwanese historical Sparmax brand, which also provides tools for most of the best airbrush brands in the world. The compressor chosen by Kryolan is the very reliable DAC 25, a true work horse among portable units. This little jewel is very quiet, very light and compact and quite powerful with an air stream output of 30 PSI. The version manufactured for Kryolan has an appealing silver-gray finish that makes it also very attractive to look at. The compressor comes with a rechargeable battery pack, and can be carried on the shoulder or attached to your belt thanks to a very practical and slick bag. The carrier bag feature an exra compartment for an additional optional battery pack which will give you twice the amount of time without having to plug in the unit. A single battery pack in any case will be enough to complete a whole beauty makeup and more. The airbrush included with the version of the kit that I purchased is another work horse in the airbrush makeup world, that is the Sparmax SP35 with its solid reliability and high quality, easy to replace components. With the launch of the Nebula line Kryolan started distributing an additional airbrush with a slightly bigger nozzle (0.4mm) in order to allow for the optimal flow of shimmery pigments. This is good but not strictly necessary, as the product will work well on smaller nozzles too. For our video shoot I have replaced the valve on my airbrush with a continuous airflow valve (often called "single action"), and I added a pressure regulator which at this time does not come with the standard kit. Doing this will make application on smaller, more delicate areas such as the eyes much easier, and will allow you greater control of the product, however these tweaks are not indispensable.

Kryolan Airbrush Kit and Nebula Products

Bridal airbrush makeup:Kryolan Nebula

Additional Nebula products

To make the cleaning process easier, Kryolan has created a specific Nebula Airbrush Cleaner. This is truly an excellent product that will allow you to clean and flush out your airbrush very easily and very fast, even if you use it in between colors. Cleaning at color changes in any case will only be necessary if you are switching to a much lighter shade or between very pigmented colors. In my not exactly limited experience I can attest that thanks to this cleaner Nebula is the silicone based product that is easiest to clean, bar none. Another effective product is the Nebula Remover, the makeup removing solution created specifically for this makeup. The very resistant Nebula colors can be removed also with any good silicone based makeup remover, but none will be faster and gentler than this.

Backstage secrets of our video shoot
The makeup shown in our video tutorial was made entirely by airbrush, except for eyeliner, mascara and lipstick. No brushes, HD powder or fixing sprays were used. The skin was prepped with silicon based Kryolan primers. The cuts in the filming are purely for timing, we have not touched up the makeup "off camera" in any way. Our model survived the water test and went on to wear the makeup for the rest of the day. She confirmed it held perfectly until it was removed.

Nebula by Kryolan: First Impression Review of the new Airbrush Makeup line!

Introducing Nebula by Kryolan: 54 shades for a natural yet super resistant makeup.

Kryolan is a legendary professional makeup brand. Since its beginning in Berlin, Germany in 1945, this company has been proudly run by its original founding family, and many of its products have become standards in the theatrical, fashion and film industry.  Airbrush makeup could not be missing from an extensive catalogue such as Kryolan's, and for several years the brand has been distributing three acclaimed product lines: Micro Foundation On Air (silicone based) Air Stream (water based) and Aqua Proof (alcohol based for body painting). In the last year however Kryolan has taken a further step in the airbrush makeup direction with a sizeable investment in the creation and the promotion of Nebula, a new line of innovative colors with a high pay off that was conceived primarily for beauty application. We couldn't wait to try these products and we are now ready to share our first impressions. Please come back to these pages next week for a full review and video tutorial of Kryolan's airbrush kit and Nebula line.

Nebula is a silicone based line that features 54 colors divided in 6 shade groups: Complexion 1 and 2 for foundation, Eyebrow, Irridescent 1 and 2 for eyeshadow and blush, Chromatic for opalescent eyeshadow and  finally Vivid, which includes six primary colors for any other use. 

Just like any other product in the Kryolan brand, Nebula has its own individual color chart, and its shades are not matching any other product directly. Nonetheless, the line itself is quite extensive, and offers endless mixing possibilities. The colors are sold in kits of 6 shades for each group, however you can also purchase them individually and build your kit more gradually.

The packaging of the products is one of the most attractive and luxurious I have seen for any airbrush makeup products. The color kits are presented in very elegant blue boxes with a magnetic lid, and featuring a slick brochure inside with tips on airbrush maintenance. The dispenser on the bottles opens with a half a turn anti clockwise, and the caps are relatively easy to keep clean. Any spill can be wiped quickly with alcohol 99, which won't affect the high quality printed labels.
The product's formula is silicone and acrylates based. That said, the makeup viscosity is very low, so much so that it can be used with the same low pressure you would apply to a water based product (5 PSI). With the launch of the Nebula range Kryolan has made a special airbrush available with a 0,4 mm nozzle, so that the shimmer pigments could be dispensed without difficulty, however you will be able to use this product even with smaller nozzles, as we did for the swatches below that were applied with a .25 airbrush.

The most remarkable characteristics of the Nebula line become evident when you apply the product: the colors are beautiful, can be layered to a high coverage and are super resistant: after a drying time that can vary to up to one minute, they become virtually indestructible, totally water proof and with zero transfer. As far as the colors are concerned, you can judge for yourself from the airbrushed swatches below: the photo was taken in natural light (please click on it to view it in full screen mode)

We can't wait to demonstrate a full beauty look made entirely with Nebula, which undoubtedly represents an interesting new option on the market. 

PRO TIPS:
Application: Apply the color in light passes, waiting a few seconds for each pass to dry. Lightness is a fundamental rule here as with most airbrushable products, especially when you are applying to delicate areas such as the eyelid, where you must avoid excessive layering that would result in shorter durability or cracking. 
Cleaning: You will not need to clean the airbrush when you change colors, simply discharge the previous color and test the following on a piece of paper to avoid mixed color output. At the end of the job you will have to use a silicone based cleaner or alcohol 99% followed by distilled water. Kryolan has created a very effective, alcohol based cleaner called Nebula Remover.
Availability: Nebula is available on Kryolan's website, through Kryolan's own stores or its many distributors. 
Ingredients:Dimethicone,Isododecane,Trimethylsiloxysilicate,Acrylates/
Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Silica Dimethyl Silylate and may contain: [+/- Titanium Dioxide CI 77891, Iron Oxides CI 77491, Ferric Ferrocyanide CI 77510, Carmine CI 75470, Mica] May contain carmine as a color additive